The Masquerade Ball
by ren-san
Summary: There is a masquerade ball at Hogwarts. Lily meets a boy, but when the masks come off, will she except who it is? I revised it a little bit. I hope everyone is happy with said revisions. Review.


AN-I've never, ever thought I would be writing a Marauders' era fanfiction, but here I am. So I don't know how exactly this idea popped into my head but I ran with it. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer-I don't own anything except my 7 copies of Harry Potter and I do believe I'm reading the covers right when they say JKR wrote them.

Lily looked in the mirror trying to figure out how to change her appearance so she wouldn't be guessed as to who she really was. She wasn't exactly sure of the purpose of this masquerade ball. No mask were to be worn, but you were supposed to transform yourself to look completely different. At midnight, they were supposed to drop the glamour charms and reveal themselves. It was the strangest thing the headmaster had come up with. The only plus side Lily could find was the James Potter would not be able to spot her and pester her about dating him.

"The first thing to go is this red hair," she muttered. She flicked her wand at her head and her auburn tresses faded to black and she had to admit, it looked much better like that. Perhaps I should dye it this color of the summer, she mused as she styled her hair into soft curls. Next, she changed her eye color from the dazzling emerald to an almost golden brown. She applied a tanning charm and had beautiful bronze tan that looked like she had spent a summer on the beach. Lily smiled at her new reflection. She quickly changed into her pale blue strapless dress and headed out of the dormitory.

When Lily arrived at the Great Hall, she immediately wished she knew what Alice looked like so she at least had someone to talk to. She sat down at an empty table and watched couples twirling about the center of the room. The hall was done up rather beautifully. Silver and blue balloons were strategically placed around the room and white streamers hung elegantly from the ceiling. Purple and blue candles sat in the center of tables in the middle of white flower centerpieces.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken," a tall blond boy with piercing blue eyes questioned. Lily looked at him blankly for a second before shaking her head. The boy sat down. "Some ball, huh?"

"Yes, I guess," Lily replied. She looked over at the boy and found him staring straight at her and shifted uncomfortably.

"Would you care to dance," he asked her.

"I don't know, I'm not much a dancer," Lily said. But she let him lead her toward the dance floor anyway. He was a marvelous dancer, she had to admit.

"You know you're very beautiful," he commented. "I bet you're even more so while not all glamoured up like this. You're boyfriend must be lucky."

"Oh, no. I don't have a boyfriend," Lily replied with a laugh. This guy's smooth she concluded. Probably thought if he said all the right words she'd swoon and follow him to somewhere secluded and snog a bit. "And I doubt I'm that beautiful with out the glamour charms. I don't know why Dumbledore said to use them, masks would have worked just fine."

"I know, but some people are too easy to guess who it is, behind the mask. Like someone's hair and eyes could give it way," he commented. "Perhaps this whole masquerade idea was to show that people are not who you think they are. You could hate some one with such a passion, talk to them for five minutes without knowing who they were, and realize you were wrong about them."

Lily gazed up into his eyes seeing them glinting in the candle light. There was something familiar about them, but she couldn't put her finger on it. "I guess your right. What about you? Got yourself a lucky lady?"

"You see, I like this girl. I mean I really, really like her. She's just so beautiful and smart. And she's so kind to people. That's what I love most about her, her kindness. Except she's not all that kind to me. At least this year she's been somewhat nicer to me. I just wish I could get her to like me back."

He didn't let go of her as the song ended and everyone applauded the band. Dumbledore walked up to the stage and a hush settled through the room. He cleared his throat and spoke. "I hope everyone is enjoying themselves. I would like to ask all of you to please take off their glamour charms and reveal themselves."

Doing what she was told, she whispered the words to end the charm flicking her wand. She looked over and saw that the blond boy was gone and saw in his wake James Potter. Lily gasped. "James?"

Lily turned and walked out of the Hall. No way, there was no what that she had spent most of the evening dancing with the boy that had aggravated her since fifth year. He had been so nice and didn't try to ask her out or tease her about something. She kept walking till she found herself at the edge of the lake.

"Lily, wait a second, please," a voice called behind her. Lily looked behind her and saw James walking her way. "I'm sorry. I should have told you it was me the whole time."

"You knew it was me the whole time didn't you Potter," Lily said. James nodded. She scoffed and turned to walk away again. She was beyond angry. But it wasn't all directed at James. She was angry at herself, for talking to him in the first place. Why didn't she recognize him if he could tell it was her? "Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

"I was just hoping that you would talk to me. Most of the time when I try to talk to you, you brush me off," James said, looking down at his shoes. "Would you have honestly agreed to dance with me if you knew who I was? I understand if you don't want to talk to me again. I give up Lily."

Lily stood there, rooted to the spot. He was right, she wouldn't have given him the time of day. James gave her one last glance and went to leave. For some reason unbeknownst to her, Lily panicked and shot her hand out to grab his.

"James, wait." James turned around and she reached up and placed her lips upon his for the briefest of moments. She wasn't quiet sure why she did that all of a sudden, but she didn't regret it in the slightest."Please don't give up on me yet."

AN-Again, no idea how this idea got in my head, but it wouldn't let me sleep until I typed it up. It is now 2 in the morning and I have to be up for school in a few hours. I just love how stuff hits me like this. I hope its not to horrible, given I was typing half asleep. I'm not used to writing this pairing, so if you have any ideas on how I can improve or anything, please let me know in a review.


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